1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to temporary support for injured limbs, and in particular to the use of glass fiber mat in orthopedic splints.
2. Technical Considerations and Prior Art
Methods of immobilizing broken, fractured, sprained or strained limbs so that they can heal over a period of time typically include the use of porous fabrics that are coated or impregnated with plaster of paris or curable resins. At the time of an accident, it is advantageous to temporarily immobilize the injured limb to prevent any further injury, for example by using a splint, until a more "permanent" immobilizer can be used to set the limb. The splint must provide sufficient strength to immobilize and if necessary support the injured limb but should also be easily removable. It would also be beneficial if the splint could mold to at least a portion of the limb so as to provide more comfortable support. Generally, such temporarily immobilizing systems typically include splints having multiple layers of resin impregnated woven fabric which remains stable when maintained in substantially moisture-free conditions but hardens quickly upon exposure to sufficient moisture to form a rigid self-supporting structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,306,549 discloses a splint arrangement that includes a woven fiberglass mat strip enclosed within a vacuum envelope. A curable hardening agent is injected into the envelope and absorbed by the woven mat. Prior to hardening, the splint is wrapped around the injured limb as a bandage to provide support.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,609,578; 4,668,563 and 4,800,872 disclose orthopedic casting systems that use curable resin coated fiberglass tapes that can harden and form a rigid support structure.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,027,803 and 5,755,678 disclose splinting and support bandages that incorporate multiple layers of woven or knitted fiberglass fabric impregnated with a reactive system that hardens when exposed to moisture.
It would be advantageous to provide a splint that incorporates a single resin impregnated layer having sufficient strength that it can support and temporarily immobilize an injured limb before conventional longer term immobilization of the limb is employed.